Thread controller for sewing machines



I Oct. 22, 1929.

J. R. MOFFATT 1,732,979

THREAD CONTROLLER FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Dec. 17, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l O 1929- J. R. MOFFATT THREAD CONTROLLER FOR SEWING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 a? 4 a i a M {,1 E25: 7

z M/ v M w 0, gm 4 5 1% 4 Ob v4 g E; Q a 5 L a 4 a g Z 2 g Patented Oct. 22, 1929 JAMES R. MOFFATT, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

ASSIGNOR ro- UNION sPEcIAL MACHINE A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS THREAD CONTROLLER FOR SEWING MACHINES Application filed December 17', 1927. Serial. NO. 240,774.

arm type, whereintheparts are actuated from I across shaft in the standard supporting the arm. The looper thread controlling mechanism is mounted on the end of this cross shaft. The thread controlling mechanism lncludes two spaced cylindrical members which overhang the end of the-shaft. Each member is formed at the outer peripheral: edge thereof so as to provide take-up cams, and the thread controlled by the rotation ofv this member is directed thereto by inner and outer thread guides. In my application Serial No. 130,95i, filed August 23, 1926, I have shown and. described a thread controlling mechanismof the same general type as that in my prior application referred to, and in this application, the cylindrical members are mounted intermediate the ends of the shaft and inner and outer thread guides cooperate therewith in directing thethread to the controlling cams.

An object of the present invention is to provide a thread. controlling mechanism for machine of the cross shaft actuated type, wherein the controlling cams are mounted on a cross shaft back from the end thereof, so that stationary sleeve may be supported on the shaft, which sleeve in turn support-s the cast-olfmember and retaining member for the controlling cams.

A further object of the invention is to provide a thread controlling mechanism of the above type, wherein the cam for operating the nipper springs is mounted on said shaft which extends through and actuates the thread controlling cams.

A still further object of the, invention is to provide a thread controlling mechanism of the above type, wherein a pull-off cam can be mounted on the end of the shaft and actuated thereby.

.These and other objects will .in part be obvious. and. will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the. drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the inven tion- 7 Figure lis a plan view with partsbroken away and parts removed in order to show the invention as embodied in amachine having a cross shaft for actuating the loopers;

Fig. 2 is an-enlarged. view partly in section showing the-needles, loopers, the presser foot and the feed dog which cooperates therewith; +ig. 3 is a view partly in section and partly in side elevation showing the end of the cross shaft and the thread controlling mechanism and parts associated therewith;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view'on the line 44 of Fig; 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the arm for supporting the inner and outer thread guides;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 Fig. 7 is a sect1onal viewthrough the shaft at the inner side-of the thread controlling cam and showing the member for collecting, and directing oilworking out of the bearings away from thethreadcontrolling parts; 1 i

Fig. 8- is a view showing the development of the controlling camv and the cast fi and retaining members associated. therewith, and

Fig. 9 is a view partly in section showing the'stationary sleeve for supporting the castoff and retaining members and the manner of holding the same in fixed position.

The invention is directed to a thread controlling. mechanism. which is particularly adapted for use in connection with a sewing machine having a work supporting arm wherein the feeding mechanism and stitch forming mechanism are actuated by a cross shaft extending across the standard at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the work supporting arm. This is often referred to as a side wheel type of machine. The lo'oper shaft extends lengthwise of the work supporting'arm and is provided with the loopers. The needle bar reciprocates in theouterend of the overhanging arm and carries the needles. A presser foot holds the work. on

to form thread controlling cams. Associated with these thread controlling cams is a cast ofii member and also a retaining member. These members are mounted on an arm attached to a collar which is clamped to a sleeve which in turn is mounted on the shaft, but held from rotation. Just beyond the end of the stationary sleeve are located the nipper springs, and a cam is mounted on the shaft which closes the nipper springs at the proper time for clamping the thread. Beyond the cam for controlling the nipper springs is a pull-oil cam. This is mounted directly on the end of the cross shaft. Surrounding the thread controlling parts which have been described is a housing with a hinged cover plate, so that access may be readily had to the controlling members. At one side of this housing are the tensions through which the threads are led, and just inside of the housing is a thread guiding arm underneath which the threads are directed and guided to the nipper springs and controlling cams. This thread guiding arm cooperates with the nipper springs in holding the thread against lateral movement so that the pull-ofi? cam when it engages a thread, can deflect the thread and thus draw thread from the supply. Associated with the thread controlling cams are thread guides, both of which are mounted on the same supporting arm, and these thread guides, when in normal position relative to the controlling cams, are so disposed that one is located between the axis of the'shaft and the innermost thread controlling cam, while the other is outside of the outermost thread controlling cam. These thread guides are so positioned as todirect the thread into the path of rotation of the thread controlling cams. Adjacent the disk which supports the thread controlling cams, and between the same and the, bearing which supports the cross shaft adjacent said controlling cams,

is a pad which is held from rotation and which surrounds the shaft so that any oil seeping out of the bearing for the shaft, will engage the pad. As the pad becomes saturated with oil, it will be directed toward the lower extreme part of the pad, which is preferably pointed, so that the oil will drip therefrom, and not be thrown by the rotating parts against the threads as they pass through the thread controller.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the invention is shown as applied to a sewing machine which includes a supporting base 1 which is provided with a standard 2. This standard Q'carries an overhanging arm 3, at the outer end of which is a needle bar l carrying, as shown in the drawings, three needles 5, 5, 5. Also mounted on the standard 2 is a cylindrical work supporting arm 6' of the fabric being stitched, if desired. The

needles are reciprocated, and the loopers oscillated by suitable connections with a cross shaft 11 which is mounted in suitable bearings in tile standard and extends all the way through said standard, and projects from the standard atboth ends. At one end of this cross shaft 11 is a belt wheel 12 and its,

associated hand wheel 13. Through this belt wheel 12, the shaft 11 is rotated. The shaft 1 extends through a bearing 14 at the other side of the standard and projects some dis tance beyond the bearing 14. Mounted on this shaft is a thread controlling element, which consists of a disk 16, having a hub 16. A set screw 15 passing through the hub is threaded into the shaft 11 and this secures the disk to the shaft, so that the disk will rotate with the shaft. Formed integral with the disk 16 are two cylindrical shell-like members 17 and 18. These members are located one within the other and are spaced from each other so as to provide an annular recess 19. These cylindrical members overhang the shaft and their outer free edges are shaped to form controlling 'cams for the thread.

Mounted on the shaft 11 is a sleeve 20. This sleeve 20 overlies the hub 1 a and terminates at the inner face of the disk 16. The sleeve isheld from rotation by means of an arm 21 which projects into a recess formed in the outer end of the sleeve. This arm 21 is secured to a bracket 22 by means of a screw 23. The bracket- 22 is attached to a housing 24 which is secured to the side face of the standard. This housing has a hinged cover plate. 25 which may be readily lifted so as to give access to the thread controlling parts within the housing.

Mounted on the sleeve 20 is a bracket- 26.

Said bracket is in theform of a collar which surrounds. the sleeve, and the bracket is clamped to the sleeve by means of a clamping bolt 27. Extending radially from the collar 26 is a standard 28, and mounted on the standard 28 is a. cast-oft member 29 and a retaining member 30. This-member extends into the annular recess 19 so that it lies between the path ofrotation of the controlling cams on the inner and. outer cylindrical shells. Associated with the thread controlling cams are inner and outer thread guides. These thread guides are mounted on an arm 31 which iscarried by a crossbar 32 located in a groove 33 in the bracket 22, and held therein by a spring 34. The cross bar 32 is irregular in shape, and the spring bearing" on said cross bar will normally hold the arm 31 with the thread guides in proper cooperative relation to the controlling cams. The arm 31 has a transversely extending member 35. In this member 35 are a series of guides 36. These are the outer thread guides through which the threads pass. The member 35 carries an inwardly projecting arm 37, and at the lower end of said inwardly projecting arm 87 is a member 38 which is substantially parallel with the member 35. At the extreme inner end of this member 38 there is a laterally bent portion 39 which is rovided with an eye 40. This eye 40 is the inner thread guide. WVhen the arm 31 isin normal position, the inner thread guide is located at a point within the path of rotation of the innermost thread controlling cam,

while the outer thread guides are located outside of the path of rotation of the outermost thread controlling cam. When the machine is stopped in the proper position so that the space in. the thread controlling memher is directly above the inner thread guide,

then the arm 31 may be swung, about the center of the bar 32 as an axis, and thus the thread guides moved to'a position where they may be readily threaded. When the thread guides are lowered to normal operativeposition, the thread passing between the thread guides will be held so that the rotating thread controlling cams will engage the same.

The shaft 11 projects beyond the sleeve 20, and mounted on the outer, end portion ofthe shaft is a cam 11. Directly above the cam ell are nipper springs 42 and 43. These nipper springs are normally slightly separated, and as the cam rotates, it will press the lower nippcr spring against the upper nipper spring, and thus the threads passing between the nipper springs will be clamped.

Directly on the end of the shaft and along side of the nipper springs is a pull-off cam l Said pull-off cam is secured to theshaft by a. screw {15, and is held from rotation by means of a pin 4:6. Adjacent the pull-off cam is a thread guiding arm 47 which is mounted on the bracket 22. Mounted on the housing 24 is a bracket carrying a plurality of ten sions 48. As shown in the drawings,.there re three tensions, as thereare three-loopers,

and therefore, there is a tension for each looper' thread. The looper threads after passing through the tensions, pass through an opening 49 into the housing 2 1',v thence beneath the thread guiding arm 47 and across the pull-off cam 44, and thence between the nipper springs; After passing through. the nipper springs, the thread is led to the inner thread guide and thence to theouter thread guide, and it is thus presented to-the rotating thread controlling cams. From the outer thread guides the threads pass through an opening 50 to a member 51 having a. guiding channel therethrough, and this directs the threads into the work supporting arm and. on to the loopers.

In Fig. 8, I- have shown a the thread controlling cams, and one position of the cast-off and retaining members relative thereto. The thread controlling cam moves inthe direction of the arrow indicated in said figure. It will not be necessary to describe in detail theoperationof the thread controlling element, as this is fully setforth in my application Serial No. 715,421, above referred to. It will be noted, however, that when the cam is in the position shown in development of the cam portion a has been taking up the threads and the cast-off member is stripping the threads from the cam face. The loopers have been moving forward to enter the needle thread loops, and the controlling cam is taking up the slack so as to prevent the thread from buckling in front of the points of the loopers. After the loopers are. well into the needle thread loops, then slack is given upto the loopers, it beingat first frictionally retained by the retaining member 30, then finally released entirely so that the loopers may complete their forward movements without breaking the threads. When the loopers start on their return movement, the cam portion 6 engages the threads and takes up the looper threads so: as to prop-- thread triangles.

Located between the disk 16. of the thread controlling member and the bearing 14 is a pad 52. This pad loosely fits the shaft and is supported thereby. It is held from rotation by a pin 55 which passes through a portion of the pad. The pad has late-rally projecting wings 5'3, 54' which engage the rear face of the disk 16. The'pad at its lower side is provided with a V shaped projection 56. Any oil seeping out of the bearing for the shaft and passing between the pad and the shaft on to the face of: the take-up cam, will be carried outwardly by centrifugal force, and the oil will thus come into the region where the wings of the pad make contact with: the. disk. Thusit is that the oil will be wiped off from the disk and collected by these laterally projecting wings 53 and 54. The oil will work down through the pad and drain off the V-shaped projection 56. Thus it is that the oil is kept entirely away from the threads passing through the thread controlling mechanism.

While I have described my improved thread controlling devices as particularly adapted for controlling looper threads, it will be understood that the thread controlling element may be used in connection with needle threads. \Vhile I have described spaced cylindrical members having their edges shaped to provide take-up cams, it Will be understood that from certain aspects of the invention, a single cylindrical member may be used.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and the arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and-desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

1. In a sewing machine, a shaft, a thread controlling element mounted on said shaft back from the end thereof and including a cylindrical member having the free edge thereof shaped to provide take-up cams, thread guides located one within and the other outside of the path of rotation of said take-up cams, nipper springs associated with said thread controlling element, a cam on the shaft between said element and the end thereof for controlling said nipper springs, a pull-off cam mounted on the end of said shaft, and a thread guiding arm associated with saidpull-off cam.

2. In a sewing machine, a shaft, a thread controlling element mounted on said shaft back from the end thereofand including a cylindrical member having the free edge thereof shaped to provide take-up cams,

thread guidesv located one within and the other outside of the path of rotation of said take-upeams, nipper springs associated with said thread controlling element, a cam on the shaft between said element and the end thereof for controlling said nipper springs, a pull-off cam mounted on th'e'end of said shaft, a thread guiding arm associated with said pull-oil cam, a sleeve mounted on said shaft within said cylindrical member, a castas member and a retainingmember associated with said thread controlling cam and mounted on said sleeve, and meansfor holding said sleeve from rotation.

3. In a sewing machine, a standard, a shaft mounted in hearings in said standard and projecting beyond said bearings, a thread controlling member mounted on said shaft outside of said bearings, said thread controlling member having a cylindrical protrolling jecting portion concentric with the axis of the shaft, and having one edge thereof shaped to form take-up earns, a sleeve mounted on said shaft within said cylindrical portion, a cast-01f member and a retaining member mounted on said sleeve and associated with said take-up cams, and means for holding said sleeve from rotation.

In a sewing machine, a standard, a shaft mounted in bearings in said standard ans projecting eyond said bearings, a thread controlling memberhiounted on shaft outside of said bearings, said thread controlling member having a cylindrical projecting portion'concentric with the axis of the shaft, and having one edge thereof shaped to form take-up cams, a sleeve mounted on said shaft within said cylindrical portion, a castbfi' member and a retaining member mounted on said sleeve and associated with said take-up cams, meansfor holding said sleeve from rotation, nipper springs adjat the end of said sleeve, a cam on sh operati said nipper springs, and a pulleh" cam on the end of the shaft.

5. in a sewing machine, a standard, a shaft mounted in bearings in said standard and projcc g beyond said bearings, a thread member mounted on said shaft side 0 rid bearings, said thread controlinig member having a cyl nd 'ical projecting n concentric with the axis of the shaft, and having one edge thereof shaped to form take-up cams, a sleeve mounted on said shaft within said cylindrical portion, a cast-off member and retaining member mounted on said sleeve and associated with said take-up cams, means for holding said sleeve from ro tation, and an oil retainin pad mounted on the shaft between the bearing and the thread controlling element for receiving oil seeping from the bearing and preventing the is from being thrown on to the thread. 7

6. In a sewing machine, a standard, shaft mounted in bearings said standard and projecting beyond said bearings, a thread conn'ie nber mounted on said shaft outside of said bearings, said thread controlling member iaving a cylindrical projectin portion concentric with the axis of theshait, and having one edge thereof shaped to form up cams, a sleeve mounted on said shaft within said cylindrical portion, a cast off member and a retaining member menu ed on said sleeveand associated with said are-up cams, means for holding said sleeve em rotation, an oil retaining pad mounted: on the shaft between the bearing and the thread. controlling element for receiving oil see-pirthe bearing and preventing the same from be-. ing thrown on to the thread, means for hold.- ing said pad from rotation, said pad having a body portion bearing against the standard, and wings bearing against the thread con trolling element.

7 In a sewing machine, a standard, a shaft mounted in hearings in said standard and projecting beyond said bearings, a thread controlling member mounted on said shaft outside of said bearings, said thread controlling member having a cylindrical projecting portion concentric with the axis of the shaft, and having one edge thereof shaped to form take-up cams, a sleeve mounted on said shaft within said cylindrical portion, a cast-off member and a retaining member mounted on said sleeve and associated with said take-up cams, means for holding said sleeve from rotation, an oil retaining pad mounted on the shaft between the bearing and the thread controlling element for receiving oil seeping from the bearing and preventing the same from being thrown on to the thread, means for holding said pad from rotation, said pad having a body portion bearing against the standard, and wings bearing against the thread controlling element, the lower portion of said pad being shaped so as to provide a dripping point for the oil taken up by the pad.

8. In a sewing machine, a standard, a work supporting arm carried by said standard, an actuating shaft extending through said standard at right angles to the work supporting arm, said shaft projecting beyond the standard, a belt wheel on one end of said shaft, a disk mounted adjacent the other end of said shaft outside of the standard and having a cylindrical projecting portion concentric with the axis of the shaft, and with its free edge shaped to form take-up cams, a sleeve located on said shaft within said cylindrical portion, means for holding said sleeve from rotation, a cast-off member and a retaining member carried by said sleeve and associated with said take-up cams, thread guides located one within said cylindrical portion and the other without for directing a thread so that the same is engaged by the take-up cams.

9. In a sewing machine, a standard, a Work supporting arm carried by said standard, an actuating shaft extending through said standard at right angles to the work supporting arm, said shaft projecting beyond the standard, a belt wheel on one end of said shaft, a disk mounted adjacent the other end of said shaft outside of the standard and having a cylindrical projecting portion concen- I trio with the axis of the shaft, and with. its free edge shaped to form take-up cams, a sleeve located on said shaft within said cy-- lindrical portion, means for holding said sleeve from rotation, a cast-off memberand a retaining member carried by said sleeve and associated with said take-up cams, thread guides located one within said cylindrical portion and the other without for directing a thread so that the same is engaged by the take-up cams, said thread guides being mounted on an arm which is pivotally sup- 

